Celista Estates (Image credit - CFJC Today)

By Michael Reeve

DROUGHT CONCERNS

Wildfire smoke, not drought, biggest concern for local wineries

Aug 4, 2023 | 1:40 PM

KAMLOOPS — No region in the southern portion of the province is currently experiencing anything below a Level 3 drought, with much of B.C. facing Level 4 or even Level 5 conditions, and that is with summer not yet half over.

While severe drought can be devastating for many crops, grapes are not in the same boat. At the Celista Estates Winery in the North Shuswap, staff usually only irrigate the vines a few times per year. However, the challenging conditions have forced an increase this summer.

“Normally, we haven’t had to irrigate because of the clay soil bottom we have, and it retains a lot of moisture. But we irrigate in the spring, and once or twice through the summer and in the fall. And this year we have probably irrigated one more time. It could be that if this continues we will have to continue to irrigate some extra times. It’s just so very, very volatile,” said Celista Owner Jake Ootes.

While drought conditions are being closely monitored at the winery, Ootes is more concerned with the potential impacts of wildfire smoke or even early winter frosts.

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“Our big concerns are over-heating in the summertime, and in wintertime it’s frost damage — early frost damage, and severe frost in the middle of the winter. And then our third issue is wildfires. Wildfires are a big issue for us because we are also on tenterhooks to whether it is in the vicinity. And if we get smoke that can severely damage our grapes because smoke permeates into the skins,” said Ootes.